唔想腸癌復發？食堅果！

不少研究結果表示腰果、榛子、核桃，杏仁等果仁都對身體有益，包括有助減肥、改善心臟健康等。美國一項研究顯示，每星期服用至少2安士的堅果，可以顯著降低第三期結腸癌患者的復發風險，並將死亡風險降低一半以上。

根據美國癌症協會的數據，美國有95,520宗結腸癌個案。由於第三期結腸癌患者的癌細胞已經擴散到附近的淋巴組織，5年內的生存率只有53%到89%。研究人員對800多名完成化療的第三期結腸癌患者進行調查，發現每星期至少吃2安士堅果的患者，結腸癌復發的風險降低了46％，而死亡風險則下降53％。但吃花生或花生醬就未能顯著減低癌症復發或死亡率。

研究人員計劃，未來集中研究堅果如何影響晚期結腸癌患者癌症復發和死亡的風險，從而提出飲食建議。

Tree nuts may lower risk of colon cancer recurrence, death

By Honor Whiteman        Thursday 18 May 2017

Eating tree nuts may benefit patients with stage III colon cancer, research suggests.

Consuming at least 2 ounces of tree nuts every week may significantly reduce the risk of cancer recurrence for patients who have been treated for stage III colon cancer, and it could more than halve their risk of death.

This is the conclusion of a new study due to be presented at the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, which is being held in Chicago, IL, next month.

According to the American Cancer Society, there will be around 95,520 new cases of colon cancerdiagnosed in the United States this year.

For patients with stage III colon cancer, whereby the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or tissues, 5-year survival rates range from around 53 to 89 percent.

The new study, however, suggests that regular consumption of tree nuts may lower the likelihood of cancer recurrence following treatment for stage III colon cancer and improve patient survival.

Cashew nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, and pecans are all tree nuts, and a number of studies have documented their potential health benefits.

One study published in 2014, for example, associated tree nut intake with reduced risk of obesityand metabolic syndrome, while other research has associated tree nut consumption with better heart health.

For this latest study, lead author Dr. Temidayo Fadelu, of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA, and colleagues set out to investigate whether overall nut intake or tree nut consumption alone might benefit patients with colon cancer.

Colon cancer patients should include tree nuts as part of a healthful diet

To reach their findings, the researchers analyzed the data of 826 patients with stage III colon cancer. The patients were part of a Cancer and Leukemia Group B clinical trial, which began in 1999, and they had completed chemotherapy.

For the trial, patients were required to complete a dietary questionnaire. Dr. Fadelu and colleagues used this information to calculate the patients' weekly intake of nuts, and whether this was associated with the risk of colon cancer recurrence and survival.

Compared with patients who did not eat nuts, those who consumed at least 2 ounces of nuts every week were found to have a 42 percent lower risk of colon cancer recurrence and a 57 percent reduced risk of death.

However, on closer investigation, the researchers found that only tree nut consumption offered benefits; the risk of colon cancer recurrence was 46 percent lower for patients who ate at least 2 ounces of tree nuts each week, while the risk of death was 53 percent lower.

Consumption of peanuts or peanut butter was not associated with a significant reduction in cancer recurrence or death.

Based on their results, Dr. Fadelu and colleagues suggest that patients with colon cancer may benefit from including tree nuts in their diet.

"It should be emphasized that the authors are not suggesting that eating nuts should be considered a substitute for standard chemotherapy and other treatments for colon cancer, which have dramatically improved survival.

Rather, patients with colon cancer should be optimistic, and they should eat a healthy diet, including tree nuts, which may not only keep them healthier, but may also further decrease the chances of the cancer coming back."

Dr. David Hayes, ASCO president

In future studies, the researchers plan to investigate how tree nut consumption impacts the risk of cancer recurrence and death for patients in the later stages of colon cancer.

"Ultimately, we need to understand how nuts confer this protective effect, as well as possibly conduct a randomized, controlled clinical trial where diet recommendations are given at the start of the study to prove that tree nuts can reduce recurrence and death after treatment for colon cancer," adds Dr. Fadelu.

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